2024
Margaret Harrison • Head of Programmes • Association of Independent Museums
Stephen is a consultant on our Re:Collections programme, funded by the Welsh Government Anti-Racist Wales Culture, Heritage and Sport Fund. The Welsh Government’s Programme for Government emphasises the importance of representing and reflecting the history and culture of Global Majority communities to ensure that their contribution to Wales is recognised while enabling equal access and participation. This will deliver improved outcomes for all and better reflect and promote a multi-cultural, vibrant and diverse Wales, which is fundamental to delivering their vision of a truly anti-racist Wales. Stephen has provided training, consultancy and mentoring for grant-funded projects. His knowledge and expertise have been invaluable to us in supporting museums.
2023
Dr Emma McDowell | Robin Smith • Post-Doctoral Research Assistant | Content and Events Officer • Centre for Cultural Value
Stephen has worked with us on a number of projects at the Centre for Cultural Value, including taking part in an event panel, hosting a podcast and developing audio content for an online course. He is an absolute joy to work with and very generous with his thoughts and communicating his learning from across his wide-ranging career to date. Having seen Stephen work in a variety of contexts now, we really love the way that he communicates and articulates complex ideas in a highly accessible and engaging way. He always gets us thinking about how we might do things better!
Dr Safina Islam • Head • Ahmed Iqbal Ullah RACE Centre and Education Trust
Stephen facilitated workshops to help us think about our evaluation considerations. He was prepared, professional and most importantly for us, he understood the context of our collections based anti-racism work in the heritage landscape. He kept us engaged using a mix of creative and discussion based exercises and we managed to prioritise some really important criteria on which to build a more fit for purpose evaluation framework. I would highly recommend Stephen as a thoughtful and skilled practitioner.
Emily Goff • Project Manager • Curating for Change
We worked with Stephen to develop two half-day workshops focusing on co-creation with communities and museum collections, to develop the skills and practice of the Curating for Change Fellows. As a diverse group of participants Stephen was able to adapt his presentation and online delivery to meet our access requirements. It was fantastic to work with him closely in developing these sessions to suit our needs.
2022
Catherine Mugonyi • Director | Founder • Aunty Social
Stephen facilitated conversational ideas and planning sessions with a group of our lead volunteers, partners and co-conspirators ahead of moving into our new venue. We really appreciated Stephen’s gentle approach and the way that he held space for our discussions, daydreams and explorations. All participants felt safe and able to vocalise their hopes for our new space and the community we want to cultivate within its walls.
Charlotte Pearce • Partnerships Manager • Imperial War Museums
Imperial War Museums worked with Stephen on a consultation with our stakeholders about the important but sensitive topic of the British Empire and conflict. Stephen is a pleasure to work with, and his passion for encouraging dialogue in a safe space shines through. We truly value his insights and reflections, from which he produced an excellent, detailed report that will be incredibly useful to shape our forward planning.
Catherine Jackman • Programmes and Collections Manager • The Harris Museum, Art Gallery and Library
The Harris team recently worked with Stephen to further develop narrative themes as part of the Harris Your Place Project. Stephen was able to create a space of openness and creative thinking through his leadership abilities, which provided an opportunity for the team to open up new ways of thinking and a new sense of direction regarding collaborative working with communities.
2021
Melanie Hollis • Collections and Learning Curator • Ipswich Museums
Stephen's approach to advocacy work, co-production and curatorial practice is pragmatic but human; he seeks to strike a balance between what is useful to professionals and organisations, and what is needed to make change happen from the perspective of marginalised people. He also recognises that one solution does not fit all organisations. His thought-provoking but kind coaching has enabled me to think my way forwards, and I will be forever grateful for his encouragement during challenging and rewarding work - both collections-based and people-facing.
Sarah Clarke • Managing Director • Mather & Co.
Stephen brings a brilliant mix of compassion and understanding of the museum interpretation process. People and communities are firmly at the forefront of his approach and he champions those who currently don’t have a voice in the museum space. Don’t hesitate getting him on board your project – you will think differently as a consequence and that can only ever be a good thing!
Maja Lorkowska • Editor • The State of the Arts
Stephen is a regular contributor to The State of the Arts magazine. From the first time he reached out to discuss an article, I could tell he was an experienced curator, truly engaged in the current debates surrounding museums and their collections and passionate about making culture accessible to all. Stephen's texts are excellent - while he never shies away from challenging or delicate subject matter, his writing is peppered with humour and personal anecdotes, making it immediately accessible, far from the academic language of museums and 'art speak' that we're so used to.
2020
Mangubadijarri Yanner • Community Representative • Gangalidda and Garawa Native Title Aboriginal Corporation
It was through Stephen’s leadership and conviction that we were finally able to repatriate a dozen of our cultural heritage items and artefacts that were stolen from my people, the Gangalidda peoples, more than a century ago. As a proud descendant of the oldest continuing culture in human history and as someone whose people have walked across this land since the very first sunrise, this was to me and my community, what true practical reconciliation looks like. Stephen helped to lead the way on this critically important issue of our time, and the profound positive impact of his vision and service will endure for generations to come.
Dr Richard Benjamin • Head of the International Slavery Museum • National Museums Liverpool
I was fortunate to work with Stephen in the very early years of the International Slavery Museum. He brought valuable personal and professional insight to his curatorial role and developed a strong relationship with many key external stakeholders. I have regularly sought his advice and expertise on very complex subjects such as how to co-curate and co-produce displays and exhibitions.
Dr Emma Martin • Lecturer in Museology • Manchester University
Stephen has a rare combination of skills and knowledge. He blends many years of curatorial expertise with a deep engagement with current academic debates on museums, this has resulted in so many examples of innovation and change in the museum sector. He is an incredibly generous researcher and practitioner, and a trusted colleague who I have turned to on so many occasions when trying to work through complex questions and ideas relating to museum anthropology and decolonial practices.